F-4E Phantom II Development Update and Release Delay Announcement

[LcSummers]

I for my self see no problem in the delay. It´s ok.

That´s how it is.

 

Thank you for the info

[Doc3908]

To be honest, what rubbed me the wrong way was that the F-4E preorder was announced in late fall (with winter release), then all of a sudden Youtube was flooded with videos of the F-14 released for MSFS. It felt like HB put their effort into a holiday release of the other product and put the F-4 on the back burner. Maybe it's not so, but it felt wrong...

Either way, I'm in no rush: Right now I can't even play DCS because of the Oculus issue, which kills DCS on startup. For me, it's more important to get an ED fix, so I can at least use the other modules while waiting for the F-4.

[MichaelJWP15]

I have my pre-order in and no problem with the delay. Best for them to get it as ready as possible.

In the meantime, I only really know fully the F/A-18 and the A-10 II in DCS, I have in my collection the F-16, F-15E, AV8 and Viggen, none of which I am close to properly mastering so plenty to do and not complaining

 

[Steel Jaw]

Oh my....the sense of entitlement by some here...

[Elf1606688794]

On 3/16/2024 at 6:25 PM, IronMike said:

Dear all,

with our sincere apologies for both the late update and delay:

Unfortunately, and with a heavy heart, we had to decide for a delay for the DCS: F-4E Phantom II release. We prepared a detailed update for you, if you would like you can read up on it here:

https://store.heatblur.com/blogs/news/of-delays-and-silence

Furthermore we prepared an in depth, regular development update for you all, to bring you up to speed about the state of the module, as is, on what remains to be done, and what is already complete:

https://store.heatblur.com/blogs/news/of-delays-and-progress-part-ii

Finally, we would like to share the long awaited EPISODE III of our Phantom video introductions, regarding Navigation in the F-4E Phantom II this time.

Thank you all for your amazing support and extermely kind patience in these past few weeks.

Your Team Heatblur

 

Thanks for the updates. It's always nice to see what developers are working on and what their challenges have been. I'd love to see more updates like this in future projects. Heck, maybe even start with a list of things that need to be done and cross them off for us as they get completed?

Thanks again @Ironmike.

[Hayrake YE-ZB]

2 hours ago, Doc3908 said:

To be honest, what rubbed me the wrong way was that the F-4E preorder was announced in late fall (with winter release), then all of a sudden Youtube was flooded with videos of the F-14 released for MSFS. It felt like HB put their effort into a holiday release of the other product and put the F-4 on the back burner. Maybe it's not so, but it felt wrong...

Either way, I'm in no rush: Right now I can't even play DCS because of the Oculus issue, which kills DCS on startup. For me, it's more important to get an ED fix, so I can at least use the other modules while waiting for the F-4.

India Fox Echo did the MSFS aircraft, HB probably had minimal resources devoted to it, if any.

[Doc3908]

3 minutes ago, Hayrake YE-ZB said:

India Fox Echo did the MSFS aircraft, HB probably had minimal resources devoted to it, if any.

Understood. Thank you for the clarification.  

[markturner1960]

Honestly, some people will always be d1cks and thankfully, most wont.....I was heavily involved in Falcon BMS and pre that Superpak for many years and that was a FREE software.....did not stop the bitching and whining about release dates and features and so on.........

Edited March 18 by markturner1960

[freehand]

33 minutes ago, markturner1960 said:

Honestly, some people will always be d1cks and thankfully, most wont.....I was heavily involved in Falcon BMS and pre that Superpak for many years and that was a FREE software.....did not stop the bitching and whining about release dates and features and so on.........

 

Falcon BMS was my goto many moons ago loved it.

Edited March 18 by freehand

[trindade]

On 3/16/2024 at 11:25 PM, IronMike said:

Dear all,

with our sincere apologies for both the late update and delay:

Unfortunately, and with a heavy heart, we had to decide for a delay for the DCS: F-4E Phantom II release. We prepared a detailed update for you, if you would like you can read up on it here:

https://store.heatblur.com/blogs/news/of-delays-and-silence

Furthermore we prepared an in depth, regular development update for you all, to bring you up to speed about the state of the module, as is, on what remains to be done, and what is already complete:

https://store.heatblur.com/blogs/news/of-delays-and-progress-part-ii

Finally, we would like to share the long awaited EPISODE III of our Phantom video introductions, regarding Navigation in the F-4E Phantom II this time.

Thank you all for your amazing support and extermely kind patience in these past few weeks.

Your Team Heatblur

 

No need to apologize. Keep the good work HB. You are the best. 

Cheers

[Migparts]

While at the same time a bit disheartening, it is totally understandable and quite frankly I expected this and had previously estimated a April/May release.

 I hope Heatblur can complete their project well, however long it takes.

I wish them good luck with that.

[Rodeo]

8 hours ago, Hiob said:

Myriads of successful kickstarter campaigns beg to differ

At least with any ED pre-order I know at least I will eventually get a product… kickstarter not so much

[IronMike]

On 3/17/2024 at 12:50 PM, Tango3B said:

Damn…

Okay, I guess we expected this entire situation already and this basically explains why we have not seen more videos of the F-4, yet…so no hard feelings there. Also, it’s the Phantom so it is certainly worth the wait…I mean, a certain F-4F in a special livery is basically parked right outside my living quarters on my airbase. And from what I saw this very livery will even be included in the DCS F-4E package - how cool is that? IronMike, Cobra…you guys need to promise something, though. As soon as the F-4E is becoming more stable please show real gameplay footage of it to make the wait more bearable. Anyway, good luck guys…

Promise, however though arranged for cinematic emphasis, all our footage in the trailers is taken and flown in game, as you would do yourself. So in a way it is actual gameplay footage, ofc minus say showing maps, overlays, etc etc... But everything else is recorded via gameplay, if you like, just cut, arranged and ofc complimented with additional footage etc to make it shine.

That said, I of course know what you mean, and it will come before release, either done by ourselves or together with content creators.

Edited March 18 by IronMike

[mondo]

On 3/16/2024 at 11:25 PM, IronMike said:

Dear all,

with our sincere apologies for both the late update and delay:

Unfortunately, and with a heavy heart, we had to decide for a delay for the DCS: F-4E Phantom II release. We prepared a detailed update for you, if you would like you can read up on it here:

https://store.heatblur.com/blogs/news/of-delays-and-silence

Furthermore we prepared an in depth, regular development update for you all, to bring you up to speed about the state of the module, as is, on what remains to be done, and what is already complete:

https://store.heatblur.com/blogs/news/of-delays-and-progress-part-ii

Finally, we would like to share the long awaited EPISODE III of our Phantom video introductions, regarding Navigation in the F-4E Phantom II this time.

Thank you all for your amazing support and extermely kind patience in these past few weeks.

Your Team Heatblur

 

I genuinely feel for you guys. Ran software development teams for near 20 years so did my fair share of expectation management. It sucks when outside influences disrupt projects and no amount of contingency can deal with issues like war and contagious viruses.

 

I wish gaming communities understood a little better how these teams work, the distribution of skills, how pipelines work and how you just can't throw money at problems like this, that products like DCS have legacy code to navigate and peculiar undocumented quirks. When people used to ask me "just hire another developer" when we had issues with delivery I'd respond with "can 9 mothers make a baby in one month?". 

[Bozon]

7 hours ago, mondo said:

"can 9 mothers make a baby in one month?". 

That’s a good one. 

[Rodeo]

16 hours ago, mondo said:

"can 9 mothers make a baby in one month?"

I am stealing this  ; Thanks @mondo

[VR Flight Guy in PJ Pants]

It is F-15E saga all over all. It is human nature, I guess.

[mondo]

1 hour ago, VR Flight Guy in PJ Pants said:

It is F-15E saga all over all. It is human nature, I guess.

A decade long wait followed by a few months of YouTubers getting it while we all waited for the unannounced actual delivery? I mean this has been two years since it was announced and they've delayed by at most 2 months after they gave a vague release window. 

[VR Flight Guy in PJ Pants]

That part of the saga I see, well at least it was not repeated. In the mean time, I am going to enjoy what DCS currently has to offer.

Edited March 19 by VR Flight Guy in PJ Pants

[Zimmerdylan]

"Oh my....the sense of entitlement by some here..."

 

   That's why we are where we are as a culture today. 

[average_pilot]

On 3/19/2024 at 12:52 AM, mondo said:

"can 9 mothers make a baby in one month?". 

No, but you can get a baby per month.

Edited March 20 by average_pilot

[mondo]

26 minutes ago, average_pilot said:

No, but you can get a baby per month.

 

With a 9 month lead time. I've only found a few business owners who are patient enough to understand the benefits of forward planning years in advance. I've literally seen millions thrown away trying to get teams to work with 20+ year old systems because investing in a new platform is deemed an expense or would take too long despite it would pay for itself after just a couple of years. It's insane but apparently the share price next week is worth more than the business being more profitable in a years time.

[Sgt_Fresh]

On 3/16/2024 at 6:25 PM, IronMike said:

Dear all,

with our sincere apologies for both the late update and delay:

Unfortunately, and with a heavy heart, we had to decide for a delay for the DCS: F-4E Phantom II release. We prepared a detailed update for you, if you would like you can read up on it here:

https://store.heatblur.com/blogs/news/of-delays-and-silence

 

 

My Dearest Iron Mike,

If you posted this news on YT, then great. If no..... damn.

Not gonna lie disappointed YES, however OK with waiting. More so on getting something that is not an "EARLY ACCESS" let down. 

Standing by until roll out day

[QuiGon]

On 3/18/2024 at 9:29 PM, IronMike said:

Promise, however though arranged for cinematic emphasis, all our footage in the trailers is taken and flown in game, as you would do yourself. So in a way it is actual gameplay footage, ofc minus say showing maps, overlays, etc etc... But everything else is recorded via gameplay, if you like, just cut, arranged and ofc complimented with additional footage etc to make it shine.

That said, I of course know what you mean, and it will come before release, either done by ourselves or together with content creators.

Space flight confirmed

[trenchfeet]

I only purchased for the tshirt.